Culture of Mexico
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The culture of Mexico reflects the complexity of Mexico's history through the blending of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican civilizations and the culture of Spain, imparted during Spain's 300-year colonization of Mexico. Influences from the United States have shaped Mexican culture, and to a lesser extent, influences from Europe, Africa, and Asia.
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[edit] Language
Spanish is the official language of Mexico. Mexican Spanish differs from the language spoken in Spain (Castilian) the same way American English differs from British English: some pronunciations are different and sometimes different expressions are used in the two countries for the same idea. For example, in Spain the letter z and the c before i or e is pronounced with a lisp, like th; in Mexico these letters are pronounced like s. Also in Mexico, many words have from native peoples have been adopted into the language. Apart from Spanish, about 50 indigenous languages are spoken in Mexico by about 7 million people; a significant fraction of the population does not speak Spanish at all.
[edit] Albur
- Main article: Albur
There is a considerable amount of word play and double entendres with sexual connotation. Many Mexican comedians like Polo Polo, and Eugenio Derbez have gained fame from this type of language, known as albur. There are also many Mexican shows that are based on albur like Cero en Conducta which is a comedy show in which grown men and women play the roles of students in a classroom setting and joke around the entire time.
[edit] Chingar
The word chinga and idioms employing it have become characteristics of Mexican Spanish and important parts of Mexican culture. Octavio Paz devotes a full chapter in his cultural treatise The Labyrinth of Solitude to the term. Often extremely vulgar, the word is generally translated as "to fuck" or "to rape", but many other uses exist. The history of the word is generally traced to the conquest of the Spanish, when the conquistadors took Native American women, the original chingadas. Chinga a tu madre ("rape your mother") is often considered the strongest Mexican curse, and vete a la chingada roughly translates "go to hell". Other uses are somewhat more tame—a Mexican might say no me chingues, a fairly strong version of "don't annoy me", or if a Mexican is beaten in a business deal or in sports, me chingaron might be used. The word may also be use as an adjective to emphasize something. For example, one might say "tengo un chingo de hambre" to say "I'm very hungry". Its versatility can be compared to the word fuck in English.
Also the word chingar has good or neutral meanings. Soy chingon, could be interpreted as "I rule" or "I'm the very best." ¡No chingues! is akin to the English "no way!" (in the sense of finding something hard to believe). ¡Que chingon!, is an aggressive way of saying, "Wow, that's cool!" ¡Que chinga!, roughly translates to "what a heavy duty!" ¡A la chingada! is an aggressive expression that signifies shock and speechlessness, similar to English expressions such as "Oh my gosh!" or the more vulgar "What the heck?" and "Holy cow!"
The word fregar ("to clean the floor", or simply "to clean hardly") are used sometimes in the same way that "Chingar" is used.
[edit] Relationships
[edit] Family
Mexican culture is known for the unified nature of the family. The country's divorce rate is among the lowest in the world (0.33 divorces per 1000 population, compared to 4.95 in the United States) [1]. Children regularly live with their parents until they marry, even if they remain single until their thirties or later. It is also quite common for family units to remain connected, often with grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and children all living in the same area or even in the same house. Loyalty within the family is absolute – brothers will fight for the honor of their sisters, and family members are often tapped for employment opportunities.
The roles of the parents in Mexican culture are generally well-defined, with the father acting as the family's ruler and the mother as the family's heart. Machismo (Spanish for "male chauvinism") is quite common in Mexican families, with the father exercising authority in a manner not unlike a dictatorship. Some have called adultery a social norm for men, and abuse, both physical and emotional, is common. Wives are generally expected to endure this treatment from their husbands, and many consider it acceptable behavior. A mother is often exclusively responsible for maintaining the household and caring for the children, who as a result often revere her, while fearing their authoritarian father.
In the past few decades, these stereotypes have begun to somewhat break down. As influences from the United States continue to shape Mexican culture, machismo is slowly becoming more recognized and despised, especially in the northern part of the country, where the American influence is more pronounced. In southern and more rural communities, however, these basic behaviors continue to exist.
[edit] Community
Citizens take pride in their economic independence, one nation that still values “community” in its cities and towns, its plazas and schools, and its work organizations is Mexico. In Mexican culture the expectation of working and socializing together is a key component of society, and has a basis in the strong ties formed within the family.
However, lack of faith in the government and other organizations is a result of widespread political corruption. Even at the lowest levels, police officers readily accept mordidas ("bribes") from those wishing to avoid the nuisance of a traffic ticket or a night in prison. In recent years, the government has begun addressing this corruption by reducing the number of state-owned businesses and calling on Mexicans to refuse to give bribes. This, however, has proven difficult, and the progress has been slow.
[edit] International
Mexico's relationships with the rest of the world are also quite complex. The arrival and conquest of the Spaniards left the country searching for an identity – as a result of extensive inbreeding with the Spanish (the vast majority of Mexicans are mestizo, that is, mixed blood), they lost their native heritage, but similarly are not like their European conquerors.
Those from the United States are also often treated well. However, many Mexicans have not forgiven the United States for taking half their land as a result of the Mexican-American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Additionally, feelings of being politically neglected and the illegal immigration issue often lead to hard feelings.
Mexico has a tradition of military non-intervention in foreign affairs, since it has President Benito Juarez philosophy of Non-Intervention and being a Peaceful Nation with the slogan: "El Respeto al Derecho Ajeno es la Paz" which translates into, "Respecting the rights of others guarantees Peace" remains central and in the heart of Mexican National Policy and in the Mexican Constitution. The Mexican government generally avoids supporting interference and war, yet during World War II, a Mexican battalion fought for the Allies. President Fox could not support the United States invasion of Iraq for constitutional reasons.
The Mexican army, navy and airforce are not necessarily for warfare purposes, but instead are considered by economically challenged persons as good career and educational choices.
[edit] Religion
Image:Mexico superstition products.jpg
During the Spanish conquest and colonization of Mexico, Roman Catholicism was established as the dominant religion of Mexico, and today, about 89% of Mexicans identify themselves with that division of Christianity. Evangelical denominations have grown in recent years, to about 6% of the population, after being introduced by missionaries and settlers from Europe and the United States in the 19th century. Other religions make up the remaining 5%, with the most notable growth among The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Jehovah's Witnesses.
The methods of Spanish domination of the Mexican indigenous people often resulted in forced conversions to Catholicism, which ultimately meant that the people continued in their previous belief system. This led to widespread religious syncretism, since indigenous religious practices were incorporated into the practices of Catholicism. It also explains the general lack of conviction among Mexican Catholics today – instead of being a religion that was chosen by individuals, it was forced upon a whole group.
Perhaps the most striking example of this fusion of different traditions is the widespread veneration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Day of the Dead is another example of religious syncretism, in which the European Catholic All Souls' Day is combined with indigenous rites of ancestor veneration. In many Mexican communities, curanderos (traditional healers) use indigenous folk medicine, spiritual, and Christian faith healing to treat ailments and "cleanse" spiritual impurities.
In the southern areas of the country, which are predominantly indigenous, traditional religion has been mostly incorporated into Catholic rituals, as can be seen by the change in priest's attires, which instead of being decorated with the usual western symbols, instead include indigenous weaving designs and symbols. For example, the Christian cross converted to a flowery tree of life. In Mayan communities, the jmen, or healer, has an important place in the community comparable to (but not in competition with) that of a priest.
[edit] Art
Image:Mural ITESM.jpg Mexico is known worldwide for its folk art traditions, mostly derived from a combination of the indigenous and Spanish crafts. Particularly notable among handicrafts are the clay pottery made in the valley of Oaxaca and the bird and animal figures made in the village of Tonala. Colorfully embroidered cotton garments, cotton or wool shawls and outer garments, and colorful baskets and rugs are seen everywhere. Between the Spanish conquest and the early Twentieth Century, Mexican fine arts were largely in imitation of European traditions. After the Mexican Revolution, a new generation of Mexican artists led a vibrant national movement that incorporated political, historic, and folk themes in their work. The painters Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros became world famous for their grand scale murals, often displaying clear social messages. Rufino Tamayo and Frida Kahlo (Rivera's wife) produced more personal works with abstract elements. Mexican art photography was largely fostered by the work of Manuel Alvarez Bravo.
[edit] Literature and poetry
- Main article: Literature of Mexico
Mexico has a long and distinguished literary tradition. Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1651–1695), a nun in Colonial Mexico, wrote many fine poems and won fame for her defense of women's rights. José Joaquín Fernández de Lizardi (1776–1827) is often considered the first important Hispanic American novelist for his satirical novel El Periquillo Sarniento ("The Mangy Parrot") (c. 1816).
Juan Rulfo wrote two of the most influential works in the history of Latin-American literature: El llano en llamas, a collection of short stories, where Rulfo depicts themes such as social injustice and every-day life in the poorest zones of Mexico, and Pedro Paramo, a both oniric and realistic novel which is commonly associated with the beginning of "magical realism".
The influential poet Octavio Paz won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1990. He was an influential figure also in the fields of diplomatic service and cultural promotion.
The city of Guadalajara hosts the biggest and most important International Book Fair of the Spanish-speaking world each year, known best as the "FIL" (Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara in Spanish, or Guadalajara International Book Fair in English). In 2006, it will be celebrating its 20th edition and the guest of honor will be "Andalucía".
[edit] Music
- Main article: Music of Mexico
The music of Mexico is extraordinarily diverse and features a wide range of different musical styles. The best-known Mexican genre by far is ranchera, interpreted by a band called mariachi. This style of traditional Mexican song which is considered old-fashioned but respected traditional music and is usually listened to as much as modern music. Mexican ranchera styles, including norteño and banda, are not only popular within Mexico itself, but they are also frequently enjoyed by Mexican immigrants in both rural and urban American communities. Norteño, similar to Tejano music and Tex-Mex, arose in the 1830s and 40s in the Rio Grande border region of southern Texas. Influenced by Bohemian immigrant miners, its rhythm was derived from the European polka dance popular during the 1800s. Banda, similar to norteño in musical form, originated from the Mexico state of Sinaloa during the 1960s. Other new styles such as cumbia, pop, and rock have seen increased popularity as the music of Mexico faces a new generation of young people.
[edit] Cuisine
- Main article: Cuisine of Mexico
Mexican gastronomy, in terms of diversity of appealing tastes and textures, is one of the richest in the world, rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals, though some people unaccustomed to eating it characterize it as greasy and excessively spicy. Popular dishes include tacos, enchiladas, and pozole. Traditionally the main Mexican ingredients consisted of turkey, sweetcorn (not really sweet), tomatoes, peppers, chillis, squashes, peanuts, avocados, guavas, chocolate and vanilla. The Spanish then influenced these by adding milk, cheese, rice, wheat, cinnamon, oranges and peaches.
[edit] Sport
- Main article: Sport in Mexico
Charreria and bullfighting are popular sports in Mexico, and many large cities have bullrings. Mexico City has the largest bullring in the world, seating 55,000 people. Bullfights usually occur on Wednesdays, and other weekdays. Other popular sports and activities include football, boxing, baseball, basketball, and Jai alai. The game of football, known as fútbol is by far the most popular sport in the country. Every state has its own representative teams. Among the country's football stars are Hugo Sánchez, Claudio Suárez, Luis Hernández, Francisco Palencia, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Jared Borgetti, Rafael Márquez, Ramón Ramírez, Jorge Campos, Oswaldo Sánchez, Omar Bravo, and Ramón Morales. Mexican sport is also known for its strong competitive boxing, having produced champions such as Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Jesús Chávez and Julio César Chávez. The country has hosted two international sporting events, including the Summer Olympic Games in 1968 and the FIFA World Cup in 1970 and 1986.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- Homs, Ricardo. Gran Reto Mexicano. México: Editores Asociados Mexicanos, 1993. (Spanish)
- Paz, Octavio. Laberinto de la Soledad. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1976. (Spanish)
- Riding, Alan. Distant Neighbors: A Portrait of the Mexicans. New York: Vintage, 2000. (English)es:Cultura de México
fr:Culture du Mexique nl:Cultuur van Mexico pt:Cultura do México fi:Meksikon kulttuuri
